The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-16
DECATUR Is TAKING ON MOST
INDEPENDENT AIRS.
Eugene Gordon the Presiding Ge-
nius Who Has Awakened the
Sleeping Energies ef the
State,
GADSDEN AROUSED, is DEAL.
ING IN MILLIONS,
And Everywhere Furnaces Are Be-
Ing Erected and Land and In
prOvemeht Companies Are
Being Established.
ESPECIAL TO THE APPEtL.l

correspondent arrived in Decatur this
moi ming expec ing to see a sleepy,
dull, country lown Of 1900 OF 1900 in
bablt4nls, indolen,ly whiting away the
| time waiting for their country consins
20 come in aud bay their Sunday =
supplies. Oar surpriss Was unbound
ed ut the unusual degree OF act witty
life and animation that exists, and was
very foTcibly reminded of the fac
that the Decatur OF today and the De-
Iatur of yesterday were two Distinct
places Cf human hsbtstion. Ypster-
day the people were satisfied and
| cOutented win # prosaiC existence,
| just go they made q living was all thsy
seemed TO care particularly alOut. To-
day they res ize fresly the ge9grsphi-
cal and natural adva tages that they
possess, AMI a'e keenly vide awake
to the interests Of thu VA. Decatur is
without doubt or a b. DOOM boom
in our estimation, This conclusion
was reached after a careful investigs.
ton of The situation; that she will
strive with the same brilliancy and
permaoeGcy that Decatur's sis.
ter CITY, Birmingham has
done. AS an illustration of
the spirit Of enthusiasm that prevails
it Is only nee ss Try TO cite the opera
iinns OF the Decatur Lend Improve
ment and Fur ace Company. Mr.
E. @. Gordon, one Of Geo'gia's most
enterpr sing capitalists, woo has done
much for the wonderful develop
ment of the mi elal resources of
Alabama, became convinced that
DecatuI's advantages were hyperion
to any other place in Alabama.
With this knowledge in view
he set about the organization
OF the Decatur Land Improvement and
Furnfcs Company. He went to work
and purchased outright over 5000
acres of improved and unimproved
property In and contiguous to Dscatur,
having to pay in many instances enor.
mously high prices for the same.
The capitalists watched his move
m snts with an eager interest, ard
when he announced publicly
that he would form the above
named company en- the 18th
of January, that day foundTcapitslists
from all parts OF the United States On
the SPOT eager TO buy. The orgsnizI-
ton OF the company was perfe tsd by
eleCtng E c. Gordon, president; Dr..
w. L. Forest, of New York CT v, SEC
rotary, and W. w Lttl iJhp, OF the
Decatur Bank, treasurer, with Board
of Directors composed Of some OF the
iarge AID most enterpr sing capital.
lists in the country. One of the BEST
evidences of the stability of iha
boom is thct TIE COMPANY stock bad |
all been sold the next day after
the organization had been |
COMPLETED, and as much |
more could have been sold if The st ock
had been on the ma ket. In whole
figures the Decatur Land Improve
ment and Furnace Q 5mpany have 500
acres within q two mi q radius of D.
catur, 10000 scfee in the counties of
Wayne and Lewis, Times.
see, 1000 acres OF rich ore laud in Mar
shall county, Alabama, ard 10000
acres OF 3Dal laud in ether localities.
These latter properties lie near the
river. The cash purchase
# $l,0JO,000 has been capt. lliz d at
II, 500 900, one-third OF this amount
TO be the property Of the company,
which it is stipulated and understood
sh all bs used to develop the company's
resources. This ia the financial status
Of that company, and it is not smiss 10
state few OF the many enterprises
that are springing into existence. At
q late meeting Of the Bosrl OF Direct
ore it was resolved that the company
Or coed at once tn build four
ron blast furnaces with daily cspaci-
" of at least 100 tons each. TIE
is on hand to do the work with
and it il a dead certainty. A fifty
kiln wood, alocbal and charcoal plant,
the enterprise of part es of Memphis,
Nashville and Decatur, ia in course
of erection. A capitalist from Cincin-
natl is in he city today, and he in
formed you, correspondent that he is
lxceediDgly we'll pleased with the To-
salty and that, as he can get oak aud
chestnut bark delivered for S. per
cord here and the same cost $l3 in
he was going to establish
4 tannery right away. A wagon spoke
and handle factory and numerous 9TH
Or enterprises are in course OF
preparation. A represen tative OF the
McNab Coal Mines, which are owned
Dy Cincinnati capitalists, was here TO-
lay and says he will be only too glad
20 put coal here as cheap as Birmlng.
ham or any other place eau get 1t.
Real estate Is advancing with marvel
Dus rapidity and 1T is amusing TO see
how much an insignificant piece OF
Il ~ 81 /
talk with Mi, Gordon today and in
answer to cur direct question what the
Dbl ,ct Of his compauy,was he replied:
Our chief object is to invest our
money in an enterprise that has 30
many ua,ursl advantages attached
here that SUCCESS is bsyond the
possibility OF a doubt. l believe in
The country to the extent of over 1900.
700 in individual cash. l believe
hat with the proper energy and care
D acatur will outrank in progress any
,iiy in the country"
MIR. Frederick Law Olmstead, a
celebrated engineer of New York City,
he gentleman who laid of Central
Park, New York, and who has won emf.
rent distinction in the employ Of the
government in the capacity of en-
,iueer, is being gotisted with to lay
IL in the city OF Decatur, and nego Ia
ions are pending for the introduction
II the Warner sewerage system. The l
roWds that are here are something
luly wonderful, and amongst the Z
who have slresdy in |
-ested we name II M. Neely,
". A. Gage, John P. Houston, J. N.
FORD, j. W. Hansell, E B. Hill, 1T. '
deyers, f. NJ. Nelson, A. NJ. Lam /
,eth and others. Taking the town as |
whole, Il is wonderful, the activity,
i'm and life that is displayed. The I
10 els are all doing an immense bust.
Tess, 10 fact the private ciiz sns have {
ii A. nrAnrAnir Ahn rlrn.- u. L I